The PhDGov in-person training was officially launched on 19 January 2026 at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels, hosted by the EU–China Higher Education Research Center (ECHE). The event was held at the Learning Innovation Center (LIC.004). The training brings together representatives from Palestinian higher education institutions and European partner universities for three days of exchange and capacity-building activities.
Day 1 started with an opening session, including welcome remarks of the VUB and from the PhDGOV coordinator, and a presentation of the PhDGov Project. The session outlined the project’s overall objectives and set the context for the in-person training activities.
The main working session of the day focused on PhD program structures for Palestinian higher education institutions. Based on the results of Work Package 2 (WP2), participants took part in a needs-based design session, discussing current challenges and future directions for doctoral program structures in their home institutions. The session emphasized group discussion and shared reflection.
In the afternoon, participants continued with a session on PhD portfolios and academic responsibilities, covering topics such as academic activities, research outputs, and tasks during the PhD trajectory. This was followed by a session on supervisor profiles and practices, presenting VUB approaches to doctoral supervision and institutional support.
Day 1 concluded with a plenary feedback session, allowing participants to share reflections on the discussions and to prepare for the thematic focus of the following training days.